Well Now

Health Enhancement Services

“I never have enough time to study. My assignments are piling up and I don’t know what to do first.”

“Everyone on my floor comes to me for advice. Sometimes I just want to lock my door and put up a sign that says, ‘Don’t bother me!’ I need to get some work done.”

Things aren’t great at home and I’ve been getting a call a day from my mom. I want to help, but I just don’t have the time.”

“I knew that I needed a part-time job to help with expenses, but the job is really interfering with school.”

These are concerns that college students deal with on a regular basis. These situations can produce a great deal of stress and if not resolved can result in health problems. This, of course, is not limited to college students. Everyone can identify with the feeling of being under a lot of stress. Stress has become a very negative word in our vocabulary. This notoriety is really undeserved.

Stress itself is not the problem. Stress is a natural and necessary part of life. Your risk for stress related illness or disease is determined by how well you cope with stress.

Personal awareness is the first requirement of the “healthy stress handler.” While some coping mechanisms can work without your direct knowledge, knowing how and why you do the things you do to relieve stress is of prime importance for continued success.

It is important to know what is particularly stressful for you and what is your specific personal response to the stressor. For example, most people feel uncomfortable when having to speak before a group. The symptoms associated with this stressor may include: sweaty palms, a nervous stomach, headache, indigestion, panicky feelings, self-doubt, muscle shakes, etc. Some people also might get these or other symptoms at times when the source of the stressor is not so well known. It is important to pay attention to the messages that your body gives you, and the circumstances in which you get them. This process of personal awareness will, over time, enable you to link stressor with symptom and help you to predict times of excessive stress so that you can take preventive measures where possible.

The second requirement of the “healthy stress handler” is the development of a personal “black bag” of stress reduction techniques. Since it is not always possible nor desirable to prevent a stressor, the development of stress reduction techniques is important in maintaining good health. Your black bag should contain activities and behaviors that are both enjoyable and effective in relieving anxiety and tension.

When filling your black bag, think about what you do when you feel the need to relax. Think about things that you do for fun and that are good for you. Your list should contain activities that can be done alone, with friends, at night or during the day. Include things that cost money and those you can do for free. The idea here is to always have a technique that works for you, that you like to do and that can be done at almost any time. That way you are never at a loss when you recognize that you are under stress and need to relax.

If you are having a hard time coming up with ideas for your black bag—experiment! Try some things you have always thought about but never tried for one reason or another. Here are 20 suggestions to get you started: Take a walk, listen to music, call a friend, read a book, do some exercise, play a sport, try some Yoga, write in a journal, go for a drive, see a movie, treat yourself to something special, go for a swim, try progressive muscle relaxation, meditate, share a massage with someone, take a nap, express yourself in a letter, in art, etc., take a hot bath or shower, call home, find a deserted place and just scream!

IF NONE OF THESE WORK OR SOUND APPEALING, YOU’RE PROBABLY REALLY STRESSED-OUT. Consider making an appointment with a professional counselor. He can help you figure things out and make some other suggestions for dealing with your stressors.